LAKE ORION, Michigan - As reported by Inside Line back in June, General Motors today confirmed that its new premium compact sedan will be called the 2012 Buick Verano.
The 2012 Verano, an upscale companion to the Chevrolet Cruze, will go into production late next year at GM's Orion Township plant north of Detroit.
A version of the Verano went into production earlier this year in China, where it is sold as the Buick Excelle GT. Both the Verano and the Excelle GT are based on the GM Delta II global compact platform that underpins the Cruze and the Opel Astra.
GM said Thursday that the Verano will join "Chevrolet's new small car" in production next year at the Orion plant. The compact Chevy is expected to be a replacement for the imported Aveo. The Cruze is built at GM's Lordstown, Ohio, production plant.
GM President Mark Reuss said the Verano "will bring premium styling, performance and content to Buick buyers wanting a smaller car than Regal."